History

The Geelong Football Club began playing home games at Kardinia Park
in 1941 after its previous home ground,
Corio Oval, was needed for military
reasons.

Previous names of the stadium as results of sponsorship deals have
been Shell Stadium and Baytec Stadium (However it was only called Baytec
Stadium for less than 2 months, and no AFL matches were played
there under the name). On May 23, 2002, Kardinia park hosted a visit from the Dalai Lama who again visited the stadium in June
2007.

The stadium was for many years the only VFL affiliated ground
located outside the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Redevelopments

An AUD $28 million redevelopment of the ground
was announced in 2003, with $13.5 million in funding from the State
Government, $4.5 million from the Geelong Football Club, and $2
million from the AFL. The redeveloped ground was opened on May 1, 2005 during the first home
game of the 2005 season which includes a new western entry and
membership area, as well as a new five level grandstand with a
capacity of approximately 6000 spectators on the eastern side of
the stadium. A favourite for the honour of the naming of the new
stand was Bob
Davis, coach of the Cats' premiership side in 1963.

On June 15, 2005, City of Greater Geelong councillors
granted the club its wish to change the name of the new eastern
stand to the Reg Hickey Stand, while the
southern stand became the Doug Wade Stand.
The northern terrace became known as the Gary Ablett Terrace while the western gate
was re-named the Bob Davis Gate.

In September 2007, Skilled Stadium
has received a further total $26 million towards the rebuilding of
the Ross Drew Stand on the south eastern side of the ground, with
completion due by April 2010. $14 million is from the Federal
government and $6 million is from the Victorian government. Former
Federal MP for CorangamiteStewart McArthur advocated the
project, despite the stadium being outside his electorate. When
finished, the stadium will have a capacity of over 35,000. $50,000
is also being spent on a new 600-seat temporary stand between the
Reg Hickey and Doug Wade stands.

Hosted events

In May 2009 it was revealed that the City of Greater Geelong as
stadium owner had approached a number of Melbourne based AFL clubs
discussing the financial advantages of playing home games at the
ground. The ground could see clubs earning $30 a
patron at Skilled Stadium, compared to $7 earned at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. The Geelong Football Club had
first floated Skilled Stadium as a potential home game venue for
Melbourne clubs in 2006.

Dimensions

Length - 170m

Width - 115m

Goals run north to south

The field
is the narrowest playing field used for AFL games, however many
other venues are much shorter (with the Sydney Cricket
Ground the shortest).